Ethanol Fermentation Using High Alcohol Tolerant and Maltotriose Positive Yeast

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current ethanol production processes face challenges in increasing yield and rate of ethanol production without incurring higher production costs, particularly due to limitations in yeast strains used for fermentation.

Innovation Solution

The use of a combination of high alcohol tolerant yeasts and maltotriose positive yeasts in an alcoholic fermentation process, where both types of yeasts are used simultaneously to enhance ethanol production efficiency, particularly in a Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF) process, allowing for increased yield and faster fermentation initiation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If high alcohol tolerant yeast strains are used to increase ethanol yield, then ethanol production yield is improved, but fermentation rate and initiation speed are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveethanol yieldVSAvoidfermentation rate
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines two different yeast strains with complementary characteristics: a high alcohol tolerant yeast strain (providing high ethanol yield) and a maltotriose positive yeast strain (providing fast fermentation initiation). This merging of biological systems allows the fermentation process to simultaneously achieve both high final ethanol concentration and rapid initial fermentation rate, resolving the contradiction between yield and productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Device complexity

If single yeast strain is used to simplify the fermentation process, then process complexity is reduced, but ethanol production yield and rate are limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefermentation process complexityVSAvoidethanol yield
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges two yeast strains into a single fermentation system that works synergistically. The high alcohol tolerant yeast contributes to high ethanol yield while the maltotriose positive yeast accelerates fermentation initiation. This combination is achieved through simple co-inoculation without complex engineering modifications, thus maintaining relatively low process complexity while significantly improving ethanol production performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach significantly increases ethanol production yield and rate, reducing by-products and improving process efficiency, with yield increases ranging from 2 to 15% compared to using high alcohol tolerant yeasts alone, while maintaining lower production costs.

Implementation Method 1

fermenting a carbohydrate containing substrate in the presence of one or more high alcohol tolerant yeasts having an alcohol tolerance of at least 100 g/l

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFermentation: Fermentation

Implementation Method 2

one or more maltotriose positive yeasts

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEnzyme: Enzyme

Data Source

PatentUS9845483B2Alcoholic fermentation process in the presence of a high alcohol tolerant yeast and a maltotriose positive yeast
Publication Date: 2017.12.19 CARGILL INC

AI summary

The invention relates to an alcoholic fermentation process in the presence of one or more high alcohol tolerant yeast and one or more maltotriose positive yeast. The process of the present invention can be a fermentation process for the production of ethanol, for the production of beer, for the production of wine and the like. in a preferred embodiment, the present invention relates to a process for the production of ethanol in the presence of distiller's yeast and baker's yeast.